The Mississippi Valley State University Department of Athletics recently added three new staff members as it kicks off the 2009-2010 athletic year. Chad Wilson comes on board as the new director of athletic training while former soccer standout Sonia Curvelo takes the helm of the women’s soccer program. Paula Jackson joins the administrative staff as the new associate director of athletics.
Wilson, who joined August 1, takes over as the head athletic trainer for the MVSU athletic department. He comes to the Valley after receiving his master’s degree in athletic training from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. He completed his undergraduate work at the University of North Texas, receiving a bachelor’s of science degree in kinesiology in May of 2006. His clinical experience includes stints with South Plains College, Covenant Sports Medicine, Northstar Team Rehab and Sports Medicine and Coronado High School in Texas.
Sonia Curvelo took over as the head coach of the Devilettes on August 1. Curvelo comes to MVSU after a serving as associate coach at Fanshawe College in Ontario and most recently, player development coach at the SB9 Soccer Academy in Tampa, Florida. Along with her stints behind the bench, she has played as a member of the Portuguese National Team, CF Puebla of the Women’s Spanish Super League, and three teams in the USL W-League (Tampa Bay, Rochester, London). Curvelo also brings history and experience to the program as she was one of the original members of the MVSU soccer program and was a vital performer on the 2005 championship run.
Jackson comes to the Valley with extensive employment experience in intercollegiate athletics. She most recently served as director of athletics at Lincoln University in Missouri. While there, she developed and implemented a five-year marketing and promotions initiative while overseeing and directing the operations of the athletic department. Prior to Lincoln, Jackson worked at Savannah State (Ga.) University where she held several positions over three years including director of compliance, senior woman administrator and interim director of athletics. She has been the assistant director of athletics and senior woman administrator at Morehead (Ky.) State University and Clark Atlanta University in Georgia. She began her duties at Mississippi Valley State on August 17.